DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1927, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH—rKR PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

NEW ZEALAND CREDIT

AUCKLAND, Jan. 19

Ol the many impressions formed bv J- S. Brigham, Town Clerk, of Auckland, on his tour abroad, two of the most outstanding are of the high opinion held of New Zealand in English tinaneial circles and of the regard in which our system of local government is held in Australia, the only country visited in which conditions closely approximate those of the Dominion. "I louml that the opinion of New Zealand is very high indeed,” said Mr Brigham on his return by the Mairanm. ‘‘lt. is much higher than the opinion concerning Australia.” Mr Brigham had the placing of a loan of £500,000 for the city while lie was in London, and said that, but for the unfortunate reception of a New South Wales loan which was issued a, short while previously, the Auckland loan would have been floated on oven better terms than those aeliia'ly obtained, namely 5.1 per cent interest, with the issue at £99. It w.as very pleasant- to hear Now Zealand spoken of highly', and he would like In know that Australia was similarly regarded, hut he was afraid the position of Australia was not known as fully in London as it might bo. “SOMEWHERE IN N.Z.” DUNEDIN, Jan. 19. Yes I onlay la message from Sydney was picked up at, Mastorton, stating that Mr A. A. Barnes, who was somewhere in New Zealand, was urgently wauled aI- his homo in Coogec. The message was telegraphed through the Dominion, and Mr Barnes was located at a. Dunedin hotel, and was able to catch Hie train for the north this morning. R ED TAPE. AUCKLAND. Jan. 19. Red I ape mbs school commit,toes of some of the hard earned voluntary contributions .to their funds. Mr A. Burns (chairman) told the Education Board this morning that in one particular case where £IOO had been collected it cost 12s Od exchange to hank, merely to send it hack and forward to comply with the regulations.

The matter cropped up over a memorandum from the Education Department stating that in many applications committees had anticipated Govornment subsidies on these vonlunta'‘y contributions, in other words they spent the money and took it as a matter of course that there would he a Government, subsidy. The money miisr- lie deposited with the fionrd with a statement showing how it was to he spent. Mr Burns thought it would bo quite sufficient if the chairman of the school committee made a declaration that the money had been collected land was in hand.

The board decided to ask the dopaMment to sanction such an amendment of the regulations. SURE TRAGEDY. NEW PLYMOUTH. Jan. 20. The Grcenmeadows Beach, at Opunake, was the scene, of a surf tragedy this evening. Miss Mary Doreen Hammond. aged 20 years, and Thomas Pennington, aged 28. both of Mi.ingatoki, word drowned. The girl called at it bach on the beach and asked. For a rope and hell, as sho was going to ho taught to swim. She was warned by Air N. R. McKenzie (of New Plymouth) that the sea was dangerous, and was advised to swim in the river, but she said that she liked the sea.

The couple were seen to go into the sea, hut they were presently missed. McKenzie immediately rang the Opunake Life Saving Club, half a mile away, ami in twenty minutes a team was on the spot. The body of the girl was found floating on the surface, hut the efforts of a. doctor for half inn hour failed to revive any sign of life. Men were patrolling the beach tonight. hut at a late hour no trace was found of the man’s body. Tn the eoinmemhible rescue attempt, a. member of the team. George Mayor, got into difficulties, hut he was brough! ashore by his brother Jack.

N.Z. INVENTION. DUNEDIN, January 20

The- Post and Telegraph Department used yesterday the Kirby cable-laying machine for putting down telephone wires near Mosgiel. The inventor is Joseph C. Kirby, of Wyndham. A rudder-shaped sock with a steel shoe attached to the chassis, cuts the ground to a depth of 2(i inches, leaving a scar only a few inches wide, and laying the cable at the same time. NAVVY CAPSIZES. AUCKLAND, January 20. One of the 25-ton steam navvies used for removing earth on the railway deviation at OraKei, capsized yesterday afternoon. The navvy came to rest on tho brink\of a bank. The cause of the accident is not known. 'the work of getting the machine back on the rails again will prove difficult. The navvy was considerably damaged. FANCY DRESS CATCHES FIRE. WELLINGTON, January 20. Admitted to the hospital on Monday suffering from burns sustained when a paper fancy dress which he was wearing caught alight, Doiigald Grant, aged 7-1 years, died at four o’clock this morning. The hoy was in a critical condition at the time of his admission to the institution.

PEA RIFLE ACCIDENT. ASHBURTON, January 20. Serious injuries to the head were sustained by a labourer, James Hamilton, aged about 45, at Rakaia. A pea riile was accidentally discharged, Hie pellet entering his brain. He was admitted to the Ashbuyton County' Hospital. and is doing as well as can he expected. DANGER. OK ELECTtC IRON. CHRISTCHURCH, January 2(1. Damage expected to amount to some Ihousands of pounds, was caused this afternoon by an outbreak of fire at the big establishment of Blackwell's Ltd.. Kaiapoi. importers and general merchants. on the corner of High and Raven Streets, Kaiapoi. The lire, which started in the work room of the dressmaking department, on the first floor, is supposed to have been caused by a heated electric iron, the current being on accidentally. The fire had a good hold of the dressmaking room when the alarm was sounded, and owing to dense smoke, the Brigade were considerably hampered in getting the lire under control. The dress-making workroom and furnishing department on the top floor, were badly damaged by fire and water, and extensive damage was also caused by water to the millinery, mantle and clothing department on the ground floor. Recently the dressmaking room which was not permanently used for the purposes of dressmaking, was converted into a storeroom. It is understood that someone went into the workroom to use the electric iron, blit, finding the power cut off, went out. Eater, however, the power came on, and. it is surmised that, in consequence of the switch not being turned off in the room, the heated iron started the fire. The building was insured in the London and Lancashire Insurance Go.v for £11.500 and contents for £12,000 in the same office. YOUNG CONTRACTOR’S SUICIDE. AUCKLAND. January 20. An inquest was Held to-day into the death of Ben Barnard, aged 20. contractor, of Island Bay, Wellington. The deceased was found on the Milford Beach on the morning of Wednesday, January 12th in an unconscious condition, and alter being attended by two doctors, he was removed to the Auckland Hospital where he died a day or two later. The evidence showed that Barnard bail written a letter indicating that he contemplated suicide. The Coroner returned a verdict nl suicide by a narcotic poison.